Top 10 Strongest Women in the World

What comes to your mind when you think about bodybuilding?

You will list out all your favorite bodybuilders in a row.

For centuries, bodybuilding has been associated only with males. It is considered a masculine trait, and many men take part in it to show their vigor, power, and strength. But do you know bodybuilding and weightlifting are not just limited to a single gender? Women, too, participate in this sport. They lift weight and show their strength to the world.

List of Strongest Women in the World

Who says only men have all the strength and daring? These women have broken all the stereotypes to prove that females, too, have unbeatable endurance. They have put an end to the patriarchal ideologies existing for centuries and showed their caliber and strength to the world. Here are the strongest women on the planet.

1. Bev Francis

Bev Francis is a powerlifter from Australia. She has received the title of the Strongest Woman in History and for all the right reasons. The woman competed in many sports such as javelin, discus, and shotput from 1977 and 1982 and exhibited her strength.

She started as a member of the Australian track field and went into powerlifting. She was also known as the World Powerlifting Champion. Bev has broken more than 40 records in her entire career of powerlifting. Her achievements remain untouched.

2. Sarah Robles

Sarah Robles is a two-time weightlifter of the Olympics and is considered one of the strongest women in the world. Robles became the first woman in America to win two Olympic medals in weightlifting and made her country proud.

At present, she weighs 140 kilograms and measures 1.79 meters tall. Sarah participates in the heaviest category of weightlifting in women. The lady is full of power and energy.

3. Jill Mills

Jill Mills is one of the famous American power-lifters and ranks among the strongest women in the world. Mills began her sports career at the young age of 23 years. She started as a bodybuilder and eventually switched her career to powerlifting where she gained many accolades.

She had been named as the IFSA World’s Strongest women thrice in the years 2001, 2002, and 2005. It has been two decades since her career, and her name still shines in the world of powerlifting.

4. Abbye ‘Pudgy’ Stockon

The lady performed in a hand-balancing act with her husband and friend, who toured around LA. After this incident, she introduced herself to sports along with weightlifting to become one of the strongest women worldwide.

She was considered a pioneer in the world of weightlifting for women. Her achievements gave her the nickname ‘The Queen of the Muscle Beach’. In her entire weightlifting career, Pudgy gathered a massive fan following. She inspired many women to be fit and perceive their love for weightlifting. Sadly, she died in 2006.

5. Chen Wei Ling

This weightlifter can lift weights more than three times her body weight. Yes, you heard it right. Chen Wei Ling from Taiwan is one of the strongest women the world has today. She won a bronze medal at the 2007 Beijing Olympics.

She also set the world record in deadlift and squat. Ling competed in the 2009 World Games and performed a deadlifting of 430 pounds. To surprise you more, she squatted 457 pounds and successfully secured first place in the tournament.

6. Iris Kyle

Iris Kyle is a bodybuilder from Michigan. She dominated the sport since her first overall Ms. Olympia in 2004. She went on to win the competition each year from 2006, which continued till 2014.

Such continuous wins make her the bodybuilder bagging the most Olympia wins. Throughout her career, Iris Kyle has beat both men and women competitors. Her list of victories is long and explains why she deserves to be on the list of the strongest women in the world.

7. Aneta Florczyk

This woman began her powerlifting career when she was just 16 years old. She earned the title of Europe’s Strongest Woman in 2004. Besides this, she also bagged the title of the World’s Strongest Woman four times in the years 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008.

Aneta holds the record of winning the competition more than any other woman in history. Her laurels do not stop here. She also has a Guinness World Record in lifting adult men overhead. Impressive, we tell you.

8. Judy Glenney

Judy is a weightlifting champion, an IWF referee, and an instructor. She is known as a pioneer in weightlifting for women. The lady earned gold and the title of the best lifter of the world in her debut at the American National Women’s Meet in 1981.

In her entire weightlifting career, she has bagged 11 gold medals in national championships. Judy Glenney has also written many articles on weightlifting and fitness. She is the author of the book ‘So You Want to be a Female Weightlifter.

9. Jan Todd

Jan Todd got into the sports of powerlifting after she married her husband, Dr. Terry Todd. Terry himself was a famous powerlifter. Her first competition took place in 1975, where she broke a world record.

She was the first woman to ever exceed 400 pounds in any powerlifting session, where she deadlifted with 412 pounds. Jan was also the first woman to total beyond 1,200 pounds in three powerlifting competitions, namely, bench, squat, and deadlift. All these achievements made her one of the strongest women in the world.

10. Tatiana Kashirina 

Tatiana Kashirina is a weightlifting champion from Russia. She is known for taking the top spot in the World Weightlifting Championship in 2014. In her whole career of weightlifting, she holds five new world records.

Tatiana successfully competed in a 341-pound snatch, thus breaking her own previous record she had sat in the 2012 Olympics of London. She lifted the highest weight of 425 pounds for the clean and jerk, defeating all her competitors.

These women are superheroes. They not only broke the shackles but also created an example for others to follow. They are worth all the admiration.

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